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Alleghany County pursues loan, environmental review for aging transfer station upgrade
Summary
County managers told commissioners they are pursuing a competitive, interest-free 10-year loan through Blue Ridge Energy to help fund upgrades at the county transfer station and are awaiting an environmental inspection before any ground work can begin.
County commissioners on Tuesday heard a detailed update on plans to upgrade the county transfer station and on a possible financing route that could reduce taxpayer up-front costs.
County manager Bill Shepkin told the board the transfer station "is in desperate need of some upgrading. It's 30 years old," and described a loan opportunity through Blue Ridge Energy that would offer a 10-year, interest-free loan if the county is selected. Shepkin said staff are compiling extensive application materials and the deadline to submit is Sept. 30.
Staff reported earlier in the meeting that TRC — an engineering firm — has surveyed the site, completed soil compaction testing using material from a local high-school project and is preparing cost estimates. Officials said those figures are estimates for planning, not final contract amounts.
Before any earth-moving or construction can begin, the county must complete an environmental inspection and comply with Department of Environmental Quality rules, staff said. A staff member cautioned that the county cannot "move any dirt or do anything until that is completed," and that the environmental survey could require additional mitigation steps.
Commissioners and staff emphasized the project’s urgency. One commissioner described the current transfer facility as patched and fragile, saying short outages in the past have caused multi-hour disruptions; Shepkin called the upgrade a "critical" priority to avoid larger service interruptions.
County staff said they are seeking supplemental funding so the project does not impose large up-front costs on taxpayers. The presentation noted the loan is competitive and approval is not guaranteed. Staff also offered commissioners access to draft design plans on file in the manager’s office for review.
Next steps: staff will continue the Blue Ridge Energy application and produce environmental survey results; no construction will begin until the inspection and any required approvals are completed.
